I try to pack as light as possible for short trip up to Seoul or down to Busan. My main reason is that I always end up shopping and having more things to bring back to my home in the middle of South Korea. I finally upgraded my small purple duffle bag to a slightly larger black one, so I’m hoping that helps with the space issues. But that doesn’t mean I pack more. I’m still trying to pack less. So I thought I post what I pack for short trips to help those of you out there that need a bit of help packing light.

First tip: Check the weather! Always check the weather for what could b in the forecast. For this trip down to Busan, I’ll be arriving there during the tail-end of a typhoon / rain storm, but the rest of the trip (Friday & Saturday) are going to be sunny and warm. My travel outfit is going to keep me warm and dry: simple H&M high-waisted jeans, white tank top and my grey sweater. I pared that with my pair of white Kennth Cole sneakers and my black canvas bag.

In my duffel bag (don’t ask the brand, I just ordered one that I liked off of Coupang) I’m packing:

– three tops: two white t-shirts & one long-sleeve mock turtleneck

– black pants

– three pairs of underwear and a sports bra

– three pairs of socks

– my makeup & skincare case

– sunglasses (although I did buy a new pair)

– portable tri-pod

– my iPad, power supply cords, portable charger & plugs

– some snacks and extra coffee for the train and hotel

I always pack extra underwear and socks just in case they get dirty and I have to change and there is no way to wash clothes. However, most of the places I’ve stayed in South Korea either has a washing machine in the room or in the building for you to use.

Another tip: plan out your outfits ahead of time so you don’t overpack. This is something I think will be a work in progress for me. What I usually do to overcome this is to pack a couple of days before I leave what I think I’m going to want as options, then the next day (with a fresh mind) edit that amount and start paring things together. I like having one pair of each light and dark colored jeans. They go well with any other top. Which in my case, really doesn’t matter since the majority of tops I wear are either black, white or grey. That doesn’t I don’t have other colors, its just I don’t wear them as often.

Hope this simplified pack list helps anyone. I’ll post what is in my beauty/toiletries pouch soon! Until next time…

안녕히 가세요, jane*